A blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom has been identified in areas of Fyten Reservoir/ Swalwell Dam.

Residents living near the shores of this reservoir and dam, as well as visitors to this reservoir and dam are advised to take the following precautions:

• Avoid all contact with blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible.
• Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is visible.
• Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from reservoir and dam to your pets.
• Consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and fish trimmings from this reservoir and dam, as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver. (People can safely consume fish fillets from this lake).
• As always, visitors and residents are reminded to never drink or cook with untreated water directly from any recreational body of water, including Fyten Reservoir and Swalwell Dam, at any time.
• Boiling of this water will not remove the toxins produced by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria).
• An alternate source of drinking water should also be provided for pets and livestock, while this advisory is active.
• Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is naturally occurring and often become visible when weather conditions are calm.
• Appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of the water, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy.

People who come in contact with visible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), or who ingest water containing blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days. Symptoms in children are often more pronounced; however, all humans are at risk of these symptoms.

Weather and wind conditions can cause algae blooms to move from one location in the reservoir and dam, to another. As such, this advisory will remain in effect for Fyten Reservoir and Swalwell Dam, until further notice.

Please note that areas of Fyten Reservoir and Swalwell Dam in which the blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) bloom is NOT visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while this Blue-green Algae (Cyanobacteria) Advisory is in place.

If you suspect a problem related to blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), or if you require further information on health concerns and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), please call Health Link at 811.

Additional information is also available online, at www.ahs.ca/bgahttp://www.albertahealthservices.ca/bga.asp.

The RBC gold medal team presents a cheque to Heart and Stroke Foundation area manager Josie Doll. The Big Bike is structured to hold 29bikers including the driver to make a total of 30 people at any given time. 

RBC, Scotia Bank, CIBC, and Western Financial participated in the Big Bike Ride held by the Heart and Stroke Foundation on a trail around town in support of critical heart and stroke research on Tuesday, June 6 at the Badlands Community Facility in Drumheller. 

“A lot of it’s about team building, about getting out, getting active, getting your heart rate going, and that sort of thing,” said Josie Doll, Heart and Stroke Foundation Area Manager. 

The groups raised over $10,000 with RBC taking on their fourth year and becoming a gold medal team after raising more than $5,000. Medals are awarded to teams that reach and or exceed the $5,000 goal.

“That's a lot of money to raise from a small town especially,” said Doll. “We were lucky to have a very beautiful day – clearly great people involved in doing that for us.”

Each bike holds 29 riders with the addition of a driver who announces and plays music during the ride.

“It’s quite a unique experience really for people to get on there and to see it moving,” said Doll. “There is no motor, so we actually do pedal that thing. It can be hard work but everybody had a lot of fun on it so we’ll be back again next year.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation plans to reach a southern Albertan goal of $75,000 in support of Heart and Stroke research this year. So far, a grand total of $60,000 has been raised across the southern half. The bike itself can be found all across Canada but two can be found in the province during the summer months.

“It’s really like you are part of something very large,” said Doll. 

The money raised usually goes towards research at Universities like the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta.

“There are a number of things where the money goes,” said Doll. “We placed AEDs throughout the country – that was part of the plan last year so we have 8,000 of them across Canada.”

Riverside Medical Clinic welcomed the community to its new facility at its grand opening Friday afternoon June 30. Residents toured the facility and also enjoyed a snack in benefit of the Greentree School playground. They also announced the winner of their logo contest. Congratulations to KieraTreller,centre, who just completed Grade 6 at St. Anthony’s School, she had her logo chosen for the clinic.  

mailphoto by Patrick Kolafa